A road to new beginnings
by jesspattinson
Summary: Emily Prince is moving 300 miles away from home to enroll in Merrywhether Boarding school. Strange things and strange people alike are happening and Emily is caught in the middle. Will she find true love? Or true hate? True friendship or blood enemies?


'You'll call me everday right? I mean it Em. _Everyday._' Annie said, her voice breaking slightly.

'You'll get off easy if it's just once a day Annie. I was kind of thinking two...or three. Maybe even four.' I teased.

The edges of her mouth pulled up into a half smile but it didn't reach her eyes. 'I'll see you soon.' She nodded towards the red Toyota idling on the curb, my parents bickering impatiently from the front seats. 'I think you have to go now though.'

A stray tear rolled down my cheek at the thought of leaving my best friend behind while I transferred to a new school three hundred miles away. I'd been best friends with Anastasia Burrow since she saved me from getting my face from being put into the sandpit in third grade. We'd been practically inseperable ever since. Thinking about facing a whole new life without her made my knees weak and my hands clam up, but I knew I had no choice. Annie was the one who made friends with everyone and anyone. The one who kept me afloat when I embarrassed myself by tripping over on a flat surface or choking on my words when confronted in class. The one who kept me from being a social outcast.

I laughed without humour and wrapped my arms around my best friend. I sobbed on her shoulder long enough to leave a wet stain where my face had been and then pulled back. I wiped my eyes on my sleeve and smiled weakly.

'I'll see you soon Annie.' I promised slinging my bag over my shoulder.

'So soon, you wont even have time to miss me.' It sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than anything, but I admired her for the effort.

'Don't count on it. I'll call you when I get there.' I waved as I turned away.

'Don't forget about me!' She called after me. I shook my head and waved again as I climbed into my parents car.

Merrywhether Boarding School was nothing like the medieval image I had created in my head. There were no intimidating, monsterous stone gargoyles staring at me. No buildings that were so old the bricks were damp and rotting or steeples or stained glass windows. Infact, the whole place was actually pretty beautiful. The buildings were made of glass and wood mostly, with modern styled decking. The school was a way off from the edge of a cliff and a stretch of grass found its way from the school to the end of the cliff with a beautiful view of the ocean beyond. Behind it, was a forest or a wood, with the trees in full bloom. A comfortable contrast to the the cemeteries and burned down huts that I'd been expecting to find. Silver deck chairs and tables with umberellas to shade the students from the sun were scattered around the lawn and people gathered there in friendship groups, chatting animatedly, genuinley enjoying themselves. This showed me something, maybe I could cope here, if I wasn't having my lessons in a dungeon or sleeping in a bed that pulled down from a wall and hung on chains. I closed my eyes and sank deeper into the backseat. Who was I kidding? I'd never be comfortable here. The best I could do is wait out until I could visit home again.

Thinking back, I realised, I wouldn't miss my parents at all. I'd miss Annie. Then it dawned on me, if I didn't have Annie, I wouldn't have any reason to go back at all.

A soft, almost hesitant knock came at the window and then my mothers face, scrunched up into a half smile. She motioned for me to get out of the car and then disappeared around the back. I sighed again and slipped out of my seat.

As soon as I opened the car door, a warm breeze and the smell of sea salt hit me. I swayed slightly where I stood. I wasn't ready to let my parents leave just yet. More than that, I wasn't ready to be alone.

'Honey,' my mom. 'I'm sorry to have to leave so soon but, we have other obligations. We've unpacked your things,' She pointed to a bench a few yards away where my suitcases were. 'I'll see you soon. Have fun here.' She kissed me on the cheek and got back in the car.

My father was closing up the trunk when I went to see him. 'So, I'll see you later dad.' I said.

'Yeah, bye Em.' He said, simply.

I walked away and laughed to myself. That was my parents, I was always second best to something. Most of the time it was alcohol but, optimistically,it made it a lot easier to accept living here.

I made my way over to the bench that my mom had pointed out and sank into it. This was it, I thought, pulling my knees up to my chest. I couldn't turn back now, no matter how much I begged or how much I wanted it. I rested my head on my knees and let a few tears escape before trying to control myself.

'Hey,' A soft voice said. I looked up. A tall, attractive boy with a shock of dark brown hair and bright green eyes smiled warmly at me. 'Are you okay?'

I wiped my eyes quickly and set my feet on the ground. 'I'm good, thanks.'

The boy sat down in the space next to me and extended an arm. 'I'm Sam Ryder. You must be new here.' He said, gesturing to my bags.

I smiled weakly and took his hand. 'Emily Prince. And yeah, I just got here.'

'I know. I saw your car pull up.'

'You did?'

'Absolutely. Not to sound creepy or anything, but, I thought I'd come and say hi.'

'That's really nice of you. Thanks.'

'So,newbie,where's your dorm?' He asked.

I unzipped one of the bags by my feet and pulled out a slip of paper. 'East side. Room...172.' I said.

'Sweet! I'm in the East block too, but, I'm in room 175.'

'So you're like, right near me right? Do you know if I have a room mate or...something?'

Sam laughed to himself and rolled his eyes. 'Yeah. Room 172. You're roomy is called Athena.'

'_Athena_?' I arched my eyebrow in suspision.

'Yeah you know, like the Greek goddess. But, she's not much of a goddess if you ask me. Make your own judgements but, she's a bit wack.'

My ringtone sounded from my front pocket. I looked at the screen and sighed. My brother. Dylan.

'I'm sorry, you mind if I take this?'

'No no, I'll wait.'

I shot Sam a sheepish smile and flipped open my phone. 'Dylan.' I said. 'What do you want?'

'Emily Prince. Well well well, it seems you left most of your room here, including your diary. Mind if I have a snoop?'

'Stay out of my diary Dylan. _I mean it._' I warned, and put the phone down.

**So, this is the first drafted chapter of the story I'm working on. It's not very good but I'm just testing out my abilities to see what I need to improve on and what you guys think of what I've wrote so far. If you have any ideas or anything constructive criticism, improvements, I'd really appreciate it if you emailed me or, however this site works. I'm new on here so just, let me know if you have anything to say. Thanks! Jess xoxo**


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